The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme data system comprises current and historical record of all prescriptions that are: subsidised by the Government under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) - data from 1 July 2002 to the present; and priced below the patient co-payment and not subsidised (co-payment prescriptions) data from 1 April 2012 to the present. The information is used for essential analysis of the PBS, including modelling and monitoring of the budget process, monitoring of Community Pharmacy Agreements and implementation/monitoring of risk sharing arrangements with drug companies. The dataset is owned and managed by the Department of Health.

PBS prescriptions are available to all Australian residents who hold a current Medicare card and overseas visitors from countries with which Australia has a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement.

Data for subsidised prescriptions is available from July 2002. Information about prescriptions priced below the patient co-payment and not subsidised (co-payment prescriptions) is not available prior to 1 April 2012. There is a four month delay on availability of data, prior to the extraction date. Does not have good coverage of medications dispensed to public patients in public hospitals: only covers approved public hospitals to prescribe and dispense PBS-subsidised medicines, chemotherapy drugs and highly specialised drugs to day-admitted patients, outpatients, and patients upon discharge, under Pharmaceutical Reform Agreements.

The data described in this data set specification is administrative by-product data generated by the ongoing daily operations of the PBS and allied schemes including the Reciprocal Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and the Special Access Scheme.

National

National Health Act 1953 (Cth)

National Health (Pharmaceutical Benefits) Regulations 1960 (Cth)